Pickup baler



5. D. RUSSELL Aug. 9, 1949.

PICKUP BALER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 18, 1943 ATTORNEY S. D. RUSSELL Aug 9 194%.,

PICKUP BALER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 18, 194-3 INVENTOR ATTORNEY S. D. RUSSELL Augo Q IWQO PICKUP BALER 3 Sheets-Shee't 3 Filed May 18, 1945 Patented Aug. 9, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PICKUP BALER Stanley 1). Russell, Racine, Wis., assignor to J. 1. Case Company, Racine, Wis., a corporation Application May 18, 1943, Serial No. 487,482

1 Claim. 1

The present invention relates to baling machinery and more particularly to pickup balers designed to move over the field and pick up hay or other fibrous material which is baled during the progress of the machine over the field, and an object of the invention is to generally improve the construction and operation of devices of this class.

A further object of the invention is to reduce the cost of machines of this class and to make them available to larger numbers of people.

Further objects are to improve and simplify the pickup mechanism and the expedients for transmitting the material picked up to the department of the machine which does the baling.

A further object is to improve the end gate of such a machine.

A further object is to improve the hitch by means of which the machine is supported and propelled and further objects and advantages will become apparent from the annexed specification and drawings in which a satisfactory embodiment of the machine is shown. However. it is to be understood that the invention is not lim ited to the details disclosed but includes all such variations and modifications as fall within the spirit of the invention as herein expressed.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a right side elevation of the machine with parts in section and others broken away.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same with certain parts broken away.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the machine on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1 with parts removed.

Fig. 4 is a left side elevation of a part of the machine.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional View on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view on the line 6- 6 of Fig. 3.

Fig. '7 is a vertical sectional view on line 1-7! of Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail of certain mechanism indicated in Fig. 2.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail of certain mechanism indicated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken on the line lH-H! of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a horizontal sectional view of certain mechanism indicated in Fig. 2.

Pickup balers as known in the past have com monly been extremely large and heavy and com posed of many parts so that the cost of the complete machine would place it out of reach or the majority of farmers.

In the present instance, a pickup baler has been devised which is extremely light and maneuverable and which includes a pickup mechanism having only a single major moving part. As a result of the elimination of the many parts commonly associated with this class of machine, the weight and cost has been greatly reduced as a direct result of the novel combinations constituting the invention.

Assuming the machine to be progressing through the field from left to right, as seen in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, fibrous material as a windrow of hay lying on the field is engaged by teeth 15- !5 of a pickup drum, generally designated as it and which is rotated as will be presently described in a counterclockwise direction as seen in Fig. 1. Fingers l5 lift the fibrous material and slide it on the plurality of adjacent curved strips or shrouds ll-l'l which together constitute a chamber or housing within which drum I6 rotates. Fingers l5 project between strips I'l-l'l to engage the fibrous material and the curve and position of strips I! are such that fingers I5--l'5 are exposed to the greatest extent to the fibrous material in the region of the lower front part of the chamber constituted by strips ll-ll. The rotation of drum l6, owing to the shape of strips il, causes fingers IE to withdraw into the chamber constituted by strips ll-Il more and more as the fingers approach the top of drum it until they disappear Within the chamber formed by strips l'll1 at a point substantially directly over drum It.

This is done without the use of any mechanism such as cams or the like within drum l5, fingers [5 being flexible and resilient in nature but otherwise fixedly mounted on a plurality of pipes or rods l8--l8 fixed in heads 19 and 2B constituting drum Hi. The fibrous material is thereby slid upwardly over strips l'll'l which soon become highly polished. The material is thus propelled very easily thereover with the use of only the single moving part constituted by drum l6. Drum 96 is rotated by relatively simple auxiliary mechanism as will presently appear.

Material such as hay is easily affected by the wind and for this reason a plurality of curved strips 2l2l is carried by a cross brace 22 pivo ally mounted on brackets 23 and 25., the assemblage being urged in a counter-clockwise direc tion by a spring 25 acting on a lever arm 26. Strips 2| therefore gently urge the material. down onto strips ll and. prevent displacement by the Wind. Strips 2l2l also compact the material slightly and keep it in contact with strips i'l-I'l and in engagement with teeth |'5--|5 to the greatest possible extent. A pickup of this general type is also disclosed in applicants co-pending application, Serial 389,396, filed April 19, 1941, now Patent No. 2,362,861, and also in appllcants copending application, Serial 389,395, filed April 19, 1941, now Patent No. 2,378,107.

Material disengaged from fingers i is urged by following material still engaged with said fingers over a plate 21 leading rearwardly and upwardly to a platform or deck 28. Plate 21 and platform 28 are smooth and polished by the action of the material in a manner similar to strips |1-|1 and the material is accordingly pushed and forced by following material not only upwardly over plate 21 but also backwardly over platform 28. Platform 28 has a rear upstanding wall portion 29 which, as more particularly seen in Fig. 2, has a curved portion 30. Material arriving on platform 28 is pushed to the rear and turned by curved portion 30 in the direction of a feed opening 3|, in a 'baling chamber generally designated as 32. An operator standing on a platform 33 has immediate access to the material on deck 28 and helps it along as much as necessary toward opening 3|, the amount of help needed depending upon the condition of the material and the degree of smoothness of plate 21, deck 28 and curved portion 39.

Material arriving over opening 3| is forced through the opening into bale chamber 32 by a feeder head generally designated as 34 and which may be of any suitable or well-known construction within the contemplation of the invention and preferably of the type disclosed in Richardsons pending application, Serial 359,310, filed October 2, 1940, now Patent No. 2,409,313. Material introduced into baling chamber 32 is forced rearwardly by a plunger 35, actuated by a pitman 36 driven by a crank shaft 31, journaled in a portion of bale case 32. Crank shaft 31 is driven from an engine generally designated as 38 having a pulley 39 driving, through a belt 40, a fly wheel 4|. Fly wheel 4| drives through a gear 42, a gear 43 fixed on crank shaft 31 in a manner similar to that disclosed in the above mentioned patent of Richardson. Crank shaft 31 has another crank 44, Fig. 1, which actuates, through a pitman 45, an arm 46 fulcrumed on an upright 41 and connected with above mentioned feeder head 34, a parallel rod or link 48 extending between upright 41 and feeder head 34 serving to maintain the latter in the proper position during its up and down movement. The operator or platform 33 from time to time actua'tes a block dropping device generally designated as 49, to divide the resulting bales, in Well-known manner not necessary to further describe. The material baled in chamber 32 proceeds backwardly toward the rear end of the chamber and which is preferably compressed to a certain extent by means of a compressor or clamping device, of well-known construction generally designated as 50. This provides for desirable resistance to the passage of the baled material in well-known manner.

A seat comprising a platform 5|, Fig. 2, is carried on the left side of bale chamber 32 on brackets 52 and 53 and which is occupied by an operator who wires the bales in well-known manner. A seat comprising a platform 54 carried by a bracket 55 on the right side of bale chamber 32, carries another operator for wiring the bales as is well understood.

The bales proceeding rearwardly in chamber 32 are forced out onto a rear platform or tail gate 56 from which they are discharged and from which the blocks may be recovered as is Wellknown.

Bale chamber 32 at its forward end has a tongue or draw bar structure generally designated as 51 by which it is connected with a tractor or other propelling vehicle not shown.

Returning to a more detailed description of certain parts, drum I6 is built on a shaft 58 journaled in bearings 59 and 60 carried on a movable frame including a bar 6|. Bar 5| is connected by an upright 62, Fig. 3, with cross bars 63 and 64 forming a rear rectangular frame for supporting above mentioned strips |1|1, cross bars 63 and 64 being connected by an upright 65. Cross bars 63 and B4 are connected approximately at their mid-sections by a plate, brace or bracket 65 which is connected with a rearwardly extending arm 61 rigidly attached to a torque tube -68. Torque tube 38 has a plurality of arms 69 and 13 to which are connected braces 1| and 12. Brace 1| is united with above mentioned upright -55 and also with brace 12, brace 12 continuing to a position to support above mentioned bearing 60 and being united therewith. Torque tube 68 is pivotally mounted as will appear and urged in a counterclockwise direction whereby to support drum I6 and the associated parts in desired positions.

Above mentioned strips |1-|1 are connected with and supported by cross bars 63 and 64, each strip having a tongue portion 13 united in any suitable manner with cross bar 64 as seen in Figs. 1 and 3, and a strap 14 suitably united with cross bar 63.

At the ends .of the chamber constituted by strips |1-| 1, flare sheets 15 and 1 6 are supported and serve to carry above mentioned brackets 23 and 24 and to guide incoming material and compact it on the pickup. Flare sheets 15 and 16 terminate inwardly of flanges 11 and 18 respectively, of above mentioned plate 21, flange 11 terminating inwardly in a wall or guide portion 19 extending forwardly from platform 28. A front wall and an end Wall 8|, together with a continuation of rear Wall 29 define an enclosure about above mentioned feed opening 3|. Thus a chamber of substantial proportions is provided for the accumulation of hay or the like when it is desirable to temporarily stop the feed of material through opening 3| while continuing the forward motion of the baler. This is for the purpose of dropping a block or for other reasons. The operator stationed on platform 33 has direct control of the feeding of material, although as above stated, the feeding is substantially automatic once plate 21, deck 28 and rear wall 29 become smooth and polished by the action of the material. Above mentioned upright 62 carries a support 82 which extends upwardly and forwardly and, through a pivot 83, supports the outer lower end of above mentioned plate 21. A similar support 84 connects with upright 65 and supports the inner lower end of plate 21. Plate 21 rests at its upper end upon deck 23 on which it may slide in the event of up-and-down adjustment of the pickup.

As above suggested, torque tube 68 is journaled relaitvely to the machine, in the present instance in a plate 85 at its outer end and in a plate 86, Fig. 6, at its inner end, plates 85 and 86 being carried by an axle 81 on which are journaled supporting wheels 88 and 89. A solid support is thereby given to torque tube 68 which is rugged enough to carry the weight of pickup drum [6 and its attached parts. Above mentioned arm I on torque tube 68 has a portion 99 extending downwardly and engaged by a counterbalancin spring 9| which may be engaged in one or another of holes 92-92 so that the leverage exerted on tube 69 will be sufficient to continuously upwardly urge pickup drum I6 by counterclockwise rotation of tube 69. Thus the pickup is biased to an elevated or transport position.

As seen in Fig. 7, this upper position is governed by a stop member or bolt 93 fixed in above mentioned plate 85 and which stop is engaged by above mentioned arm 61.

Spring 9|, as seen in Fig. 1, is anchored by a bolt or the like 94 having a nut 95 engaged with a bracket 99 fixed with bale case 32. Adjustment of nut 95 therefore tensions spring 9|, the required amount to raise the pickup.

Working position of pickup drum I6 is obtained as will appear by overcoming spring BI and forcing the drum and associated parts to a predetermined lowered position. In the present instance, this lowered or working position is determined by a stop plate 9?, Fig. 6, fixed with portion 90 as by a clamping bolt 99. Plate 91 contacts axle 8'! when the desired lowered position of drum I6 is reached. In the present instance, plate 91 is eccentric or cam shaped so that the lowered position of the pickup may be adjusted by loosening bolt 98, shifting 91 and clamping it in a new position by retightening bolt 98. Ordinarily, it is unnecessary to change this position once it is correct unless wear or other changes in the part-s take place, the fingers I clearing the ground by a small amount, on the order of one-quarter of an inch.

It will be noted that this pickup therefore does not contact the ground at all at any point, nor does the whole machine within a radius of several feet of the point of lifting the material from the ground. Thus there is no part of the machine tending to hold down material which is intended to be picked up, as is common in prior pickups. For this reason, fingers I5 will clear an area on the field which is appreciably wider than the extent of pickup drum I6. Hay or other fibrous material tends to knit together to a certain extent and if the bulk of a given mass is engaged and lifted from the ground, substantially all of the loose material immediately adjacent will be also lifted because of entanglement in the mass. This is true of applicants pickup but, of course, not true of prior constructions in which supporting wheel-s, shoes or the like, rest on the ground at the sides or in the immediate vicinity of the actual pickup mechanism. Any loose material stepped on by such wheels or shoes is, of course, torn loose from the mass and remains on the ground. The fact that such material has been pressed into the ground makes it difiicult, if not impossible, to pick up on a sucseeding round.

The upper and lower positions of pickup drum I6 are under the control of the operator on plat form 33. For this purpose, a rod 99 is slidably supported in a bracket I09 carried in the present instance on a brace IIlI extending between platform 28 and plate 85. Rod 99, as more particularly seen in Figs. 9 and 10, has a handle portion I92 at its rear end and extend-s forwardly through a plate I93 mounted on above mentioned cross bar 64. A pin I94 prevents removal of rod 99 and a spring I95 is compressed between plate I93 and a suitable abutment I06 fixed on rod 99. Forward sliding of rod 99 by means of handle I02 will thus force cross bar 64 forwardly, rotating the pickup structure with torque tube 68 and extending spring 9|. Spring I95 may be further compressed but will yield and allow the pickup to rise in the event of encountering an obstruction. Rod 99 is provided with a pin IO'I which may be aligned with a slot I08 in bracket I00 as rod 99 is pushed forwardly. Pin I91 therefore passes through slot I09 after which it is misaligned so that rod 99 may not return. This holds the pickup in operative position. Pin I0! is preferably so placed as to be misaligned with slot I08 when handle I92 points straight down. This is the position which the parts would normally take under the vibration of the operating machine so that pin I01 will normally not align with or pass through slot I98 without conscious effort on the part of the operator on platform 33.

Drum I6 is rotated in the present instance from supporting wheel 89. As particularly seen in Figs. 3, 4, and 5, a pulley or roller I99 is fixed on a shaft M9 journaled in bearings III and H2. Roller I99 may be pressed by a lever II3 into contact with wheel 88 which is normally provided with a rubber tire I I4. The frictional contact with tire H9, exerts a sufiicient driving force on pulley I99 to effect the necessary low power drive to drum I9. Shaft H9 in the present instance drives through a sprocket II5, a

chain H6 and a sprocket III, a shaft H8. Shaft II 3 is journaled in bearings II 9 and I20, supported from bale case 32 as by plates I2I and I22 respectively. Shaft H3 is connected with shaft 58 of above mentioned drum I 6 by means of a tumbler shaft of suitable construction, including in the present instance a universal joint of well-known form I23, a telescoping shaft I24, an overrunning clutch I25 and a second universal joint I26. In this manner, pickup drum I6 is free to rise and fall without interference from the drive mechanism and without straining the parts concerned. Overrunning clutch I25 prevents running pickup drum I6 backwards in the event it is necessary to back the baler.

Bearing III may be shifted on bale chamber 32 by loosening clamping bolts I2! to obtain the proper position of shaft III] and the bearing is of any suitable or well-known type providing for limited misalignment of shaft H9. Bearing II 2 as more particularly seen in Fig. 5, is supported in above mentioned plate I2I in the present instance between guide plates I28 and I29 so as to be slidable forward and backward to adjust roller I99 into or out of contact with tire H9. A spring I 39 is connected to bearing H2 and anchored at I3! on bale case 32. Bearing H2 is thereby urged forwardly to remove roller I09 rom tire IM. Lever H3 is fulcrumed on a pin or the like I32 fixed with bale case 32 and spaced from the latter by a spacer I33. Lever II3 has a downwardly extending arm I34 carrying a set screw !95 pressing against bearing II2 to urge it rearwardly so as to press roller I99 into contact with tire I I 9. In its upper position, lever I I3 is engaged over a lip or hook member I36 and in this position set screw I95 maintains pulley I99 in sufficiently firm engagement with tire I I4 to drive the pickup parts including drum I6. When it is desired to interrupt the drive, lever H3 is disengaged from lip I39 and allowed to drop to the dotted position seen in Fig. 4, where it rests upon axle 81. Spring I pulls bearing I2 forward, disengaging pulley I09 from tire H4 and stopping the drive to pickup I6.

Above mentioned tail gate 56 is composed of a'plate I31 having downwardly turned flanges I 38 and I39. It is also provided with upwardly extending ears I40 and MI, Fig. 2, pivoted to bale case 32 as by bolts I42-I42. A portion of plate I31 extends forwardly of pivots I42 and has abutrnents I43I43 which engage the underside of bale case 32 when gate 56 is in the desired lowered position. Therefore, no supporting chains or other means are necessary for maintaining the position of gate 56. Bales arriving on gate 56 may thus be disposed of rearwardly or at either side as most convenient since there are no flanges or supporting chains to interfere as is common in the prior art.

Hitch 51, as seen in Figs. 1, 2 and 8, comprises forwardly extending members I44 and I45 united at I46 to form an A frame. Member I44 is pivoted at I41 to an engine platform I48 forming part of bale case 32 while member I45 is pivoted at I49 to platform 1 18. To render the arrangement stable, a diagonal brace I'50 is pivoted at I5I to an upper portion of bale case 32 and also to above mentioned member I44, as by a bolt I52. Bolt I52 is adjustable in a slot I53 in above mentioned member I44 and when loosened permits up-and-down adjustment of members I40 and I45. Bolt I52 is located as near as convenient to a hitch pin opening I54 in member I44 so as to reduce the length of the unbraced portion of member amount. The stresses tending to displace bolt I52 become quite substantial on rough ground and in order to insure against shifting of the bolt, a strip I55 is interposed between members I and I44. Strip I extends backwardly from bolt I52 and is clamped in engagement with member I44 by an additional bolt I56 clamped in a slot I51. Therefore shifting of bolt I52 in slot I53 will necessarily require shifting of bolt I56 in slot I51. The clamping effect is therefore twice what it would be with a single bolt as I52, while the point of attachment of brace I50 is desirably near hitch pin opening I54.

For convenience in supporting the machine, in the absence of a tractor or other supporting vehicle, a stand generally designated as I58 is provided attached to draw bar 51. As seen in Figs. 1, 2 and 11, this comprises a plate I59 carrying an upstanding tubular member I60 with which is threadedly engaged at I6I a shaft I62.

Shaft I62 is journaled in a clevis I63 and has a crank portion I64 by which it may be rotated to raise and lower draw bar 51 as will be apparent in Fig. 1. A collar I65 prevents end-wise movement of shaft 162 in clevis i63 in one direction and a pin I66 prevents such movement in the other direction. Clevis I 63 is urged against a bracket I61, fixed with member I44, by a bolt I68, a spring I69 surrounding the bolt and forcing clevis I63 into contact with bracket I61. When stand I56 is not in use, it is swung to an inoperative position indicated in Fig. 2. To reach this position, plate I59 must pass a flange portion I10 of above mentioned member :44. This is accomplished by compression of spring I69 and shifting of clevis I63 temporaril away from bracket I61 as suggested in dotted lines in Fig. 11. When stand I58 reaches its inoperative position, spring I69 maintains the parts in the position shown in Fig. 2 until again needed. Various safety devices, etc., may be applied as desired or found necessary, in the present instance a shield I1I being sup- !44 to a relatively small 8 ported on bale case 32 above drive chain H6 and its associated parts.

The operation of the above described invention is thought to be clear from the foregoing description, it being pointed out that the object of simplifying the pickup baler has been accomplished to a marked degree. Notably the pickup itself has but One major moving part, namely drum I6, the auxiliary drive being simple but exceedingly effective for the purpose. A distinct advantage of this type of drive is that the rotation of the pickup drum is in direct proportion to the rate of forward travel of the machine so that the hay or other crop is handled in the gentlest possible manner and not torn apart, shredded, or shattered as is common in known constructions, particularly if the rate of travel is slower than that for which the machine was designed. It is thought that the construction disclosed is well adapted to accomplish the objects of the invention as set forth and what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

In a pickup for use with a crop treating device, having an upper point of disposition for material picked up, the combination of a set of shrouds defining a curved chamber, a drum rotatably supported within the chamber, and having a plurality of outwardly projecting fingers, said drum being so disposed in said chamber that said fingers project therefrom between said shrouds to pick up and slide material over said shrouds and to recede into said chamber at a predetermined point, an inclined plate pivoted to said chamber and leading rearwardly and upwardly from the region of said predetermined point, over which material may be slid by following material, a plurality of strips spaced from said shrouds to overlie material being slid over said shrouds by said fingers and hold it against displacement, a stationary platform at the upper end of said inclined plate and leading transversely of the direction of travel of the pickup to said point of disposition and a curved rear wall for said platform disposed to receive material sliding up said inclined plate and to turn it in the direction of said point of disposition.

STANLEY D. RUSSELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

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